Walking By Faith

Colossians 2:6, 7 -"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith."
Some Christians believe that walking by faith means being carried along by a mysterious, ethereal, indescribable inner sense called "faith." But the walk of faith is much more practical and definable than that. Walking by faith simply means that you function in daily life on the basis of what you believe. Your belief system determines your behavior. If your behavior is off in a certain area, you need to correct your belief in that area because your misbehavior is the result of your misbelief. "But how can I know what I really believe?" you may ask. Take a few minutes to complete the following statements as concisely and truthfully as possible.
I would be more successful if . . .
I would be more significant if . . .
I would be more fulfilled if . . .
I would be more satisfied if . . .

I would be happier if . ..

I would have more fun if . . .
I would be more secure if . . .
I would have more peace if . . .
Whatever you believe is the answer to these statements constitutes your present belief system. Assuming that your basic physiological needs (food, shelter, safety, etc.) are met, you will be motivated in life by what you believe will bring your success, significance, fulfillment, satisfaction, happiness, fun, security and peace. If what you believe about these eight values does not line up with what God says about them, your walk of faith will be off to the same degree that your belief is off.

(Special Thanks To Neil Anderson for this wonderful devotional.)

God bless everyone, Have a great day.

Signs of the Times

I absolutely love this sign because it's absolutley correct and right on the money. Have a blessed day and a great weekend. God bless you.

Real Prayer

Psalm 22 :2-"O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent."

Prayer is a tricky thing, It was never meant as a "gimme' list by which we can get things from God. It is not a gripe time to vent frustrations and woes. It is not a time to show off our piety. Rather, it is a time to draw close to God in order to be open to His will and guidance. So often we feel that God is not listening because we don't get what we ask for. We want results immediately, and we decide beforehand what we will accept as an answer and what we will not. Who says that we get to make the rules? The Lord hears us, and His is true to answer us, but He always measures His responses according to His divine wisdom. He knows what is best for us, even when it doesn't agree with what we want. It is natural and human to doubt the Lord sometimes. He understands that. Just don't give up. The Lord breaks through our desert spots, to comfort us when we cry.

Scripture Verse for Today

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

(Jeremiah 29:11)

Believe

Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." John 6:28-29

The other day I had the pleasure of speaking with a new Christian. It was a pleasure because of his enthusiasm and zeal for the Lord. His eyes were bright and her smile was wide as he talked about Jesus. I found myself smiling back at him as she began recanting his testimony. He is reading, studying and working hard at knowing the Lord more deeply. Why? Because he loves Him and wants to serve Him with his life. But as he sincerely poured out his heart, I
realized how hard he was working at trying to do all the right things. I thought about how easy it is for us to get focused on the work, trying to please God, do for Him and to know Him more.
I love what Jesus says in that the work of God is that we believe in Him. Doing God’s work boils down to believing in His Son. It is not about our efforts or good deeds. We do not impress God with our works. God wants our hearts set on Jesus. He wants our lives surrendered to His will. He tells us to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) and that without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). But faith means that we give up control, we let go and we allow His Holy Spirit to lead us. Everything from that point on becomes about our belief in Him, not about our works for Him. I often tell people, new Christians and older ones, to just relax. When I sense that their walk with the Lord is becoming one of frustration and confusion, I encourage them to stop working so hard at it. We need to learn how to let God be God. We need to put the responsibility of our lives back on Him. We are trained by the world to think and act for ourselves, but the Lord says to cast our cares upon Him. What is the key for us today? We must believe in Jesus. We must believe so confidently in His word that we make no decisions without it. Ask yourself: Am I trying to do work the works of God? If you are frustrated or disillusioned, you might be trying too hard instead of resting in Jesus. Ask the Lord to help you let go and to help you believe in faith all that Jesus wants to do in your life. Let Him “work the works of God” in your life today as you believe in Him.

Signs of the Times

I don't know who put this quote up on the church sign, but it makes you wonder. God bless everyone and have a great weekend.

Sowing Seeds

"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6

I grew up in a family that loved to plant. My stepdad would plant huge vegetable gardens every spring and my mom was always planting flowers. Even though most of the time, we planted in rows, my stepdad liked to sow the seeds for the garden. With a large plot of land to to cover, he
would walk back and forth over the ground while spreading or throwing out the seeds. When the plants began to grow, it was easy to tell the spots we missed. He would tell me to sow the seeds in abundance, more instead of fewer, and to not be stingy with them. The more seeds we sowed, the more vegetables we grew. Seems like simple math. So why do we not take it more seriously in how we apply it to life? What kind of seeds are you sowing in your life today? How much time do we commit to spiritual planting? If we are using our time to sow to our cares, then we will reap stress instead of peace. There are many other seeds that, as Christians, we are sowing too sparingly. Instead of reaping the bountiful harvest of the fruit of the Spirit, we are reaping a harvest of anxiety and apathy. The real issue of sowing begins in our hearts first. Are we willing to sow seeds of love, forgiveness and mercy and sow them bountifully? Or are we just doing enough to barely cover the ground? When the plants begin to grow, the bare spots will be clearly evident. Are there any bare spots in your life? If so, ask the Lord to reveal to you the areas that you need more sowing. If there are issues or struggles holding you back, then pray for help to break free. God will bless you regardless of the amount you sow as long as your heart is open and obedient to His will. God wants to bless you indeed. Plant your seeds today by reading His word and spending time with Him. Then, watch your harvest come in as you are able to plant more and
more.