Why Believe in God?

Why not believe in God? What is the alternative? We can rely on our self, our career, other people or addictions of some kind, but these are not stable or eternal. The fulfilled prophecies of the Bible prove that it is worthy of our confidence in its Words. They are life, and they give us a road map to follow in this unstable world in which we live.

God knows us intimately, and deeply cares about us (2 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 2:20; Psalm 139:13). Our God of Hope fills us with all joy and peace. As we trust in Him, we will overflow with His hope by the power of His Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). This hope in God does not disappoint us, because God poured out His love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom He also gave to us as our Comforter and Guide (Romans 5:5; John 14:26).

We are blessed when we place our hope in the Lord, our God, from whom comes our help (psalm 146:5). God knows exactly how we feel and He cares about us, even if people do not understand us (Hebrews 4:15). Our faith, knowledge and eternal hope rests on our God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 7:19; Acts 26:6). When we develop the mindset that we ultimately need no one but God for our life and our future, we are truly free (John 8:36).

Our Heavenly Father gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. God is great in His mercy. He is our future and our inheritance, which will never perish, be destroyed or fade away (1 Peter 1:3-4). We can place our faith and hope in God, because He raised Christ from the dead and restored to Him His great glory (1 Peter 1:21).

Prayer:

Father God, You removed our fleshly tendencies by the circumcision of Christ, You buried us with Him in His baptism and You raised us up with Him, because we have faith in Your plan for our salvation (Colossians 2:11-12). Now our flesh is dead with Christ, but we also live in Him (Romans 6:8; Colossians 3:3). He is our whole life (Colossians 3:4). As our love for You increases, our connection to this world decreases, and our intimacy with You intensifies. 

Thought for the Day:

We wait expectantly for our blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus, the Messiah.

- Titus 2:13; Acts 24:15

My Soul Thirsts for God

Prayer is our method of communication with God. We pray in one of two ways: monologues or dialogues. A monologue prayer is one-sided. We recite a litany of needs and tell God what we want and how He should provide it. 

We even give Him the game plan that we think is His best alternative. Of course, a dialogue is two-sided, and we are quiet long enough to hear from God.

God calls us to be still and to know that He is our Almighty God (Psalm 46:10). His words to us never contradict His words in the Bible. 

If we think we hear from God, and it is contrary to His Biblical words, then we know that Satan, the counterfeit, is trying to lead us away from God’s Truth. God's sheep know His voice; and the more we listen, the more we recognize that He is speaking to us (John 10:27-33).

Have you ever been very, very thirsty? You mowed the lawn or cleaned all the windows or walked for several miles in the heat and your body is crying out for water. 

As we mature spiritually, our soul – our thoughts, choices and emotions - comes to this same place of thirsting for God (Psalm 42:1-2). The soul of a spiritual Saint is consumed with longing for more intimacy with God (Psalm 119:20).

We want all of our being to be filled with all of the fullness of God, to have the richest measure of His presence and to become a person entirely filled with God (Ephesians 3:19). 

Our soul yearns for God, even as we sleep; and our spirit seeks more intimacy with Him both day and night (Isaiah 26:9). Our body and soul ache for Him and cry out for our living God (Psalm 84:2).

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that intimacy infers honesty. We cannot have a personal union with You without an agreement to completely expose our life to Your Holy Spirit. We cannot hide anything from You, because You already know everything about us (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13). 

Thank you that Jesus invites those of us who thirst after Him to come to His living water. Even those with nothing to offer to Him are welcome (Isaiah 55:1), and He freely gives us all things (Romans 8:32).

Thought for the Day:

Our intimate interludes with the Lord are our favorite times of the day.

No Shortcuts

Read: James 1: 22-25

"They will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." - Proverbs 1:31

As we intently respond to the Word of God, we receive freedom to become children of God. God blesses the faithful ones who act upon His Word, in addition to reading and studying it (Galatians 3:26; James 1:22-25). We do not forget what we read or hear, but we go one step further and actually do what the Bible instructs. In these last days prior to Christ’s return, the Word calls us to do God’s work with urgency, while we still find people who want to hear the Gospel.

One day very soon, the night will come when people will no longer endure the Truth (2 Timothy 4:3). We will no longer be allowed to do God’s work (John 9:4). There will be a famine in the land of hearing the Word of God. Therefore, let our hearts take delight in the ways of the Lord now, remove the idols from our life and fully commit our heart to God all the days of our life (2 Chronicles 15:17; 2 Chronicles 17:6)

What is an idol in today’s society? People, pets and activities in our life can become idols, if we prefer to spend time with them instead of doing the work of the Lord and obeying His precepts. If you worship even one idol in your life, and if you are not allowing the Holy Spirit to produce God’s fruit in your life, then please return to God now, walk in mercy and truth, and follow God’s Spirit as He directs your steps (Proverbs 3:3-5; Hosea 12:6). Worship the Lord and serve Him only. Do not pursue the gods of money, independence, success, power, relationships, addictions, etc. (Matthew 4:10).

Hell is a place of punishment for not believing that Jesus is God, and that He came in the flesh in order to save sinners from this eternal damnation. God is light (1 John 1:5) and there is no darkness in Him. Without God as its light, hell is a place of eternal darkness (Jude 13). There is no rest from the torment of hell for the unbeliever (Revelation 14:11). Hell is also a furnace of everlasting anguish in a pit of fire (Revelation 21:8; Matthew 13:42; Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44-45). The smoke from the fires of torment ascends forever and ever without end (Revelation 14:11). How can hell have both flames and darkness?

It is the same in Hell as it is in a Black Hole in the universe. Black Holes are sections of space where stars collided and attracted other stars by their gravitational pull. A Black Hole is dark, even though it is an incredibly dense and blazing star. This density increases the heat within the Black Hole. Hell is also a black hole full of intense heat that will never end. We do not want our friends, relatives, associates or neighbors to experience this eternal damnation. So, make a point to share with them the hope in Christ that you have within your heart (Hebrews 6:19).

There are no shortcuts to Heaven or to spiritual maturity. It takes a lifetime for us to grow into spiritual adulthood, and for our fruit to fully ripen. The development of Christ-like character takes nurture and time through the sanctifying process. If we do not take up Jesus’ cross and follow after Him, we are not worthy of Him. The person who fights to keep his life will loose it, but the one who willing surrenders and dedicates his/her life to the Lord, will find their life now and also in eternity. Whoever is wise understands these things; whoever is discerning believes them. The ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them now and always (Matthew 10:38-39).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word. We delight in reading the Bible and learning more about You, Your precepts and what You desire for us and from us. Thank You for paying the penalty for our sins, for giving us an alternative to hell and for making the way so easy for us. Rise up within our spirit and draw us ever closer to Your heart. Help us to share the Gospel story with others so they too will escape the fires of hell and enjoy Heaven with us for eternity.

Thought for the Day:

When it comes to getting into Heaven, Jesus is the only way.









Thank you, Sarah Patterson, for the use of your photo.