Live Confidently By Faith

Hebrews 11:1 NIV, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

How can we be confident in what we hope for and sure of what we do not see? We do this by placing our hope and assurance in Jesus Christ. He is our firm foundation. Living by faith in the Son of God is the way God has chosen for His children to live (Galatians 2:20). He expects us to trust Him to take good care of us and supply us with all we need. A life lived by faith can certainly be challenging. When we do not understand the details of what is going on, fear can creep into our hearts. But it’s during these times of uncertainty, that we must cling to God even more. Meditating on His Word will increase our faith and help us to stay strong…

Romans 10:17 KJV, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

God’s Word is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). It changes our hearts and brings life to what seems dead. There is power in His Word. Living by faith gives us hope, because we know that what we see is not all there is. Instead we can believe God for more. Even when we don’t yet see what it is we are believing for, we can keep walking by faith. We can be confident in the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Nothing’s Too Great for The Love of Christ

Psalm 136:3, “Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.”

There’s no hurt or pain that’s too great for Our Lord Jesus. He lovingly carries every burden we have, if we will only give our burdens to Him. We can tell Him anything, and He still loves us. Over and over again, He still chooses to love us. Nothing can stop His love for us, not even our darkest sins.

His faithful love endures forever…

He knows all there is to know about us, because He knows us so intimately. In His presence we can completely be ourselves. He meets us where we are and patiently waits. He waits while we grow and learn. He waits while we learn to love Him. His love never ceases to amaze me.

His faithful love endures forever…

I’m so thankful for His love today and everyday. His love and grace remain the same. People may change. The world will change. But Jesus Christ, He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever more (Hebrews 13:8). No one or nothing compares to Him.

His faithful love endures forever…

God Is Calling Us Out

Isaiah 41:13 NIV, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

Throughout the day yesterday, this thought kept coming to my mind, “God is calling us out.” I kept thinking of Peter when Jesus called him out of the boat to come and meet Him on the water. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was fine. However, the moment he took his focus off of Jesus, and placed it on the wind that was blowing, he lost faith and began to sink.

As Christians, God is calling us out. He is calling us into a deeper relationship with Him, so that we can learn more about Him. He is calling us out of our comfort zones, so that we can fulfill the purpose He has for us. He wants to use us in ways we never imagined, to accomplish the work He has called us to do.

“Getting out of the boat” takes courage. But we will never know what God has for us, if we are not willing to walk by faith and trust Him. Fear will always try to sabotage the work God has for us to do. Fear of failure, and fear of the unknown, will both attempt to keep us in our comfort zones. Fear of what others think of us, will try to stop us from boldly proclaiming who we are Christ. But on the other side of our fears, are the meaningful and fulfilling lives that God planned for us.

God is calling us out. He promised that He will hold our hand and help us to move forward in Him. If God has been speaking to your heart, and calling you out to go deeper with Him, don’t be afraid to get out of the boat and go. He will strengthen you to answer the call He has on your life. Stay focused on Jesus and take one step at a time. He will walk with you every step of the way, but first you must get out of the boat.

2 Corinthians 6:17 NIV, “Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord…

Before You Were Formed (part 2)

After posting “Before You Were Formed (part1)”, one of my email subscribers contacted me. She mentioned that abortion can be a lifesaving measure for a woman. Although I never mentioned abortion in my post, and don’t recall thinking about it while writing it, I’m glad it was brought up to me.

My main purpose in writing, “Before You Were Formed”, was to encourage those who perhaps feel their lives are insignificant, because of the circumstances surrounding their birth. It was also meant to let people know in general that God knows them, loves them, and has a divine purpose for their life. God values every human life, and that will never change.

According to scripture, God knew us before we were even formed in our mother’s womb:

Jeremiah 1:5 NIV, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…

The truth is, God knows every child, even the ones who have been aborted. Reasons for getting abortions, especially medical reasons like the person who emailed me mentioned, are between the person getting the abortion and God.

I only know what the Word of God has shown me. I believe that God placed it in my heart that abortion is not an option for me, so that is what I must live up to.

Growing up my mother always told me that if I became pregnant, not to be afraid. I could let her know. I realize everyone has a different situation, but I’m thankful for the grace of God that is powerful enough to cover every situation. God knew I would later NEED those words from my mother, so He allowed me to hear them at a young age.

When I became pregnant with my daughter, I was 20 years old and in the Army. I can clearly remember the day my platoon sergeant said to me that, “You are young and you don’t have to keep the baby if you don’t want to”. He meant well I assume.

Although I was afraid because of some of the circumstances surrounding my situation, I felt peace remembering what my mother had told me years before. I could hear her voice in my head assuring me that everything would work out. Little did I know that my daughter who is now 22 going on 23, would be my last opportunity to have a child. She’s a gift from God. In my case, I’m thankful I didn’t take my platoon sergeant’s advice.

He is a just God who knows all and sees all. In this world, we all have choices we will have to make. However we must ask ourselves repeatedly as we go through life, “Is this choice I am about to make right in God’s eyes according to His Word?” If this question is ignored, and we decide to live for ourselves, then we will be left to deal with the consequences of the choices we make. However we can instead choose to let God’s Word be our standard. As Dr. Charles Stanley always says, “Obey God and leave the consequences to Him.”

God’s love for us is steadfast, even as we navigate through the complexities of life. Trying to understand God’s will for our individual circumstances will not always be easy. We will at times make wrong choices, but through it all, God’s love and forgiveness, His Word and His grace, and His mercy and compassion for us will always remain the same.

Dear Father,

Thank you for life. You are the Giver of life and our times are in your hands (Psalm 31:15). We don’t always understand every dilemma we face, but we thank you for your Word and Your Spirit that will guide us into truth. Help us to make walking in love a priority, because we don’t always understand the details of every persons life. We pray for those who are struggling with tough decisions they must make. Please give them wisdom to choose what is best. Teach us to seek Your face, and to acknowledge You in all of our ways.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Before You Were Formed (part 1)

Jeremiah 1:5 NIV, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Before Jeremiah was born, God knew him and had already established a purpose for him.

It blows my mind that God has always known us. Even before we were being carried in our mothers womb, He carried us in His heart. There are no unplanned pregnancies in God’s eyes. He has patiently waited, and still patiently waits day by day to see His plans for us come to past.

Even before the womb, He knew you.

I have had times when I have asked myself, “Is God Waiting On Me?” God knows that we are less than perfect and that our understanding is limited. He knows that we struggle with insecurities and fears, so He patiently waits with compassion. He knows that as He waits, we are becoming who He created us to be.

Isaiah 30:18 NIV, “Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.”

There should be a longing in our hearts for God. We should want to know Him more because the more we know Him, the more we will love Him. The more we love Him, the more we will want to serve Him. Serving God wholeheartedly, while using the gifts He has given us is what will make our lives meaningful. We are blessed when we long for God.

Live Up To What You’ve Attained

Philippians 3:16 NIV, “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”

Do you sometimes feel as if you are not making enough progress in your walk with Christ? Well if so, this verse is a beacon of hope. It reminds us to only live up to what we have already attained or achieved. The things that we have learned about, are the things that God holds us responsible for.

Growing in Christ is a process that will be ongoing from now, until the day we go to be with Him in eternity. We won’t reach perfection on this side of heaven. So when we can look back and see how far we have come, it is a reason to be thankful and rejoice! I know when I look back even one year ago, I can see the changes the Holy Spirit has made in me.

Every Christian is in a different stage in their walk with God. The key is to live up to what you already know. Doing this honors God, helps to keep our lives free from the deadly grip of sin, and inspires those around us.

Of course it’s crucial to continuously put forth effort to keep learning more about God’s Word. If we are not intentional about our growth, we will become stagnant and begin to go backwards.

Don’t allow the “ways of the world” to sabotage your progress. Stay connected to God’s Word and like minded Christians. Pray without ceasing. At times we will fall short, but as long as we repent and ask for God’s help to do better, we will continue to make progress.

KEEP GOING! KEEP GROWING!

Wait Patiently for the Lord

Psalm 27:14 NLT, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

Patiently waiting on God takes courage. Deciding to put ourselves in His hands and trust Him is a very brave thing for us to do. Waiting patiently is not something that the world encourages us to do, but it’s worth it.

God knows what is best for us. Waiting allows Him to work in our hearts so we can learn, grow, and become more like Christ. It also allows Him to work in our situation to bring about what is best for everyone involved.

Waiting can be especially difficult when we are dealing with difficult people, who are making life miserable for us. But keep praying! I’ve seen God bring about change many times as a result of diligent prayers. I’ve seen Him move wrong people out, move right people in, and grant favor to His children!

Be brave. Be courageous. Wait patiently for our Mighty God. He hasn’t forgotten about you or your situation. He is working all things together for your good when you love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

While you wait, just keep doing the things that you are able to do. Remain thankful and prayerful. Listen for God’s voice, and trust Him to move on your behalf to bring the needed changes in His time and His way.

Bring God glory while you wait!