Metabolizing Faith

Read: John 4: 34-38

“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.” Phil 4:6-7 NKJV

When I hit my forty-fifth birthday, I quit! I quit striving, contriving and controlling my life, and just let go and let God. I finally realized that I am a person too with valid needs and desires that God wanted to supply. Jesus knew what it meant to do the will of our Father without contrivance or stress. He simply walked peacefully in the way, which His Father revealed to Him. I learned from His example.

When I started to trust God on a minute-by-minute basis, my budding faith started to affect my physical, emotional and spiritual health. I felt better physically because I avoided illnesses brought on by negative emotions such as stress, fear and anger. I felt better emotionally because I had a more positive focus on events in my life and the people who caused the turmoil. I felt better spiritually, because I completely trusted God with my insecure future.

Little pinpoints of light broke through the darkness. I started living in peace that transcends all human reasoning, in spite of the fact that my whole world got turned upside down. Each day, exhibiting joy and a positive outlook on life became easier and more habitual. I started living in the moment, rather than fearing the future or feeling resentment over the past. The rays of light eventually formed a pattern that made it easier for me to see what God really wanted to do in my life. I learned to relish each blessing as God brings it my way.

Even if Satan tries to rob me of my faith, by disguising the blessings in negative circumstances, I continue to trust God and to wait on His perfect timing, actively looking for the miracle in each trial. This faith energizes me mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually and helps me to accomplish so much more for the kingdom of God.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to continue to look for the miracle in each event in my life. Even the most horrifying circumstances hold the seed of faith for something new that You are doing in my life. As I sit daily in Your presence, continue to increase my faith and make me an instrument to spread Your peace to everyone I meet.

Thought For The Day:

Faith is immensely impractical, but completely crucial as it reveals to us the impossible as tangible.

Our Offering

Read: 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God."  ~ 2 Corinthians 5:20 NKJV

Circumstances in the world in which we live get more perilous with each passing day. A financial collapse, a current event or a natural catastrophe can bring the world to its knees at any moment. We have no need to fear, however.

God unfolds His plan to His children one day at a time. With His peace in our hearts, we can reflect His light into the desperate and dying world around us. Our friends, family, neighbors and associates will see Christ in us as we remove the shadow of our self-reliance and trust completely in the Lord. The power of God freely working in and through us is like a magnet, which attracts those seeking His Truth. Jesus said that when men see our good works, they will glorify our God in Heaven (Matthew 5:16).

We have no fear of failure when it comes to His calling in our life. God's strength is made perfect through our weakness. Our complete dependence in Him is our offering to Him. Do you think that God cannot use you? As a Believer, we can allow God to channel His will through our lives. When we are our weakest that is when He is His strongest. He will use us to share reality with a world that is built on illusions.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we offer our lives to you as a living sacrifice, to use for Your Glory and for the advancement of Your Kingdom on the earth.

Thought for the Day:

Approaching God with empty hands allows Him to fill them to their fullest. 

Misplaced Trust

Read: 1 Chronicles 21:1-8

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." - Isaiah 12:2 (NIV)

Sometimes I resist God's leading when I sense that it may endanger my personal security. I place my trust in what I can see, rather than in God and the outcome that only He can see. This lack of faith also allows me to compromise with the world and allows Satan to influence my thinking. Over time, the original insecurity I felt grows, and my mind imagines all sorts of horrible things that actually may never even happen.

As a shepherd boy, David did not think twice when God told him to defeat Goliath with only his trusty sling. Yet, as an adult, King David made a big mistake and did not follow God's leading with all of his heart. He trusted in his own wisdom and power instead. He disobeyed God and counted his soldiers before committing to battle (1 Chronicles 21:1-8). Woefully, David’s decision caused some of the citizens of his kingdom to reap the consequences of his behavior.

David's compensate quality, however, lay in his willingness to repent when God pointed out his mistakes. In verse 24 of this same chapter, we see that David was not willing to take a gift of land offered to him by one of his subjects in order to build an altar to the Lord. Instead, David insisted on paying for the land. He said, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”  I love his attitude and I want to remember his example.

God continued to bless David throughout his life, in spite of his failings. God forgives us, as well, and will bless us as long as we humble ourselves and place our trust in Him. We really have nothing to fear in trusting the Lord. Whenever I surrender my will to God’s, He always works everything, even the negative things, out for my good. 

Prayer:

Father, we never want to willingly sacrifice to you something that costs us nothing. Fill us with your joy and peace as we trust in You, so that we overflow with hope by the power of Your Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Thought for the Day:
We can guard against misplacing our trust, if we keep our eyes focused on Christ's redeeming love.

Am I Satisfied?

Read: Philippians 4:11-13

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” - 1 Tim 6:6-7 (NKJV)

Like Paul, it took me years to learn to be content. I do not want to live “at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1), because that denotes an apathetic attitude. On the other hand, I do not want to live with stress and anxiety either. Striving often brings contention between us and our neighbors, coworkers, family and friends. I want to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).

The only striving the Bible suggests that we partake in is to “strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24), to “always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16), and to “strive together in prayers to God” (Rom 15:30). There is no other striving in our life once we come into the presence of the Lord. We cease from our labors and enter into the true Sabbath rest of God.

If we "grab" or strive for more out of life, because of discontentment with what we have, God will withhold His gifts from us. However, when we sit contentedly at His feet, ready to receive whatever He thinks is best for us, that is when He gives us all good things to enjoy. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Prayer:

Lord, You promised to give us our daily bread and all that we need to survive in this natural world. You clothed the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. We thank You for providing for us just as richly.

Thought for the Day:

God gives us all good things to enjoy.

Biblical Confirmations

Read: Job 12: 7-10

“For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, (even) his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.” Romans 1:20

While walking on our beach, I found the skull of a fish. On the underside of the jaw was a perfectly formed crucifix, making a clear presentation of the death of Christ on Calvary’s cross. This reminded me that the Wise Men saw the birth of Christ in a star. These are just two instances where creation clearly reveals the gospel story.

Not only are the Bible prophecies concerning the coming of Christ and end time events true, but nature also confirms the validity of its claims. Based on this natural evidence, we have no valid excuse not to believe the Bible. For instance, the Bible stated that the world is round before Columbus ever proved its spherical shape.

The Bible mentioned the existence of valleys and springs in the seas; yet, only until the past few hundred years did people have the technology to discover that there are deep valleys and fresh water springs in the oceans (Genesis 7:11,  2 Samuel 22:16, NIV). The Bible stated that kind words and laughter are good for one's health; yet, only in recent years have published reports stated that laughter releases chemicals within a person's body that can contribute to one's health (Proverbs 17:22, Proverbs 16:24, NIV).

In addition, every time an archeologist’s spade splits the earth, they find historical evidence proving the Biblical claims. Noah’s Ark, skeletons of giant men of old, Jericho’s walls falling straight down, gates and temples mentioned in the Bible, tablets of clay confirming Biblical characters, and so much more evidence all substantiate the words of the Bible. A shepherd even found proof of the veracity of the Bible when he discovered the perfectly preserved Dead Sea Scrolls hidden in caves.

Based on this evidence, we have no valid excuse not to believe the Bible. Clearly, God did not create us and then abandon us on earth. He gave us His Word to encourage, instruct, inform and predict His plan for mankind.

Prayer:

Lord, lead in Thy truth everlasting and allow me to serve You on the straight and narrow path throughout life. Continue to prove the authenticity of Your Word, so that others may see and believe.

Thought For The Day:
Wisdom is skill for living, which we obtain directly from the throne of God.

His Hand in the Glove

Read: Colossians 1: 26-28

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” - Galatians 2: 20

While cleaning out a hall closet, I found an old, rectangular floral box full of mementos. One item in the box was a pair of white, Victorian lace gloves, yellowed with age. I slipped my hand into one of the gloves and immediately thought of how it resembled Christ in me, my hope of glory.

We are the glove and Christ is the Hand. The glove lies lifelessly in the dresser drawer or on the end table or hidden away in a coat pocket until the Hand has need of it. Then, the glove completely conforms to the Hand. The bit of lace has no power or animation apart from the Hand. In fact, it is actually useless in and of itself. The glove moves only as the Hand directs it. It is the exact image of the Hand.

I love this illustration. It takes all of the striving out of the Christian life for me, and gives me a clear image of Christ IN ME, my hope of the manifestation of God in my life. As I continue to conform to His image, God is in absolute control. This idea also clearly personifies Galatians 2:20 for me - I no longer live, but Christ lives in and through me.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me that without You, I can do nothing; yet with You in me, all things are possible if I only believe.

Thought for the Day:

Conforming to the image of Christ is as easy as a glove fitting onto a hand.

Restoration of All Things

Read: Zech 10:6-9

"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you. - Joel 2:25

I started my adult life with a handsome husband. We soon entertained an adorable family of three precocious children. As they grew, God also gave me a meaningful career. To top it all off, He provided an attentive Pomeranian pet. I counted all of these gifts as abundant blessings for which I thanked God daily. Over a period of five short years, however, these treasures were stripped from my life.

My children went off to college or moved away from home. I lost my vocation as a teacher and mentor for at risk children. Then, as if things could not get any more dismal, my husband of twenty-two years told me that he saw no option for us but divorce.

I soon stood alone in half of a duplex with a portable dishwasher, a single recliner and a couch that did not even match, a few bookcases, some furniture my dad made for me over the years and an empty king-sized bed. My Pomeranian was my only true remaining treasure. Since I ended up working three jobs to pay my bills and to build up a nest egg toward retirement, I eventually even lost my cherished dog, when I gave her to a lovely family across town with small children whom she adored.

It is interesting to note in Joel 2:25 that God declares that He is the one who sends this army of figurative "locust" into our life. He uses them to strip us of everything, which we hold precious and which we believe that we cannot live without. One by one, they slip through our fingers like chaff in the wind. We sink deeper by the day into a pit of gloom and despair, until one day we gain the courage to look up into the light of His face.

Somehow as one day drags into the next, we stop struggling to regain the life we once knew. We throw our soul upon God’s mercy and grace, and we trust Him to do what is best for us. We find our strength, our joy and our hope centered in Him alone. Once we are stripped of every ounce of our “self” and we cast all of our cares upon Him, then He starts to restore everything that He allowed Satan to strip from our lives.

Over these last several years, God gave me the inner strength to realize that He and I can meet any trial life throws my way. He also restored to me a new loving husband, multiple grandchildren, a fulfilling ministry, a quaint cottage home full of beautiful furniture and another gorgeous Pomeranian that distinctly resembles my little, lost treasure.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I have learned to never take for granted one of Your precious gifts. I trust You with every detail of my life and I look to You for Your guidance and wisdom for each moment that remains until I finally see You face-to-face.

Thought for the Day:

When all is lost, look up…your redemption draws near.