Faith is not common sense…and common sense is not faith. The two are about as far apart as our natural life is from our spiritual life. Our human logic will get us into trouble every time we look at God…for we want to put God into a tidy little box, but it just doesn’t work that way. Faith in God, is seeing the situation through His eyes, and not ours…it’s trusting God when our human reasoning has all but given up…it’s believing when there’s nothing else left to do.
Tag: faith
Psalm 86: 6-7 ” Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.”
Sometimes we feel like no one is listening…that our words are falling on uncaring and deaf ears. Especially when we’re hurting, we want those around us to pay attention to what we’re saying. But we never need to worry or doubt that the Lord is not listening to us…that He doesn’t hear our cries for help…that He’s not willing to come to our aid.
II Corinthians 6:1-2 ” As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says, ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
Paul was quoting Isaiah 49:8 to the Church in Corinth, but putting a new spin on it. He was telling them, “Stop thinking that “someday” you’ll receive all the blessings of God. Rather the time is now, and the place is here…so receive.” And so, I speak this into your life today…NOW is the time of God’s kindness towards you…Now is the time of Him bestowing all His Blessings on you…so receive.
I Kings 19:21 ” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and become his attendant.”
God had directed Elijah to call Elisha to succeed him as Prophet. Rather than vacillate on whether he had truly been called, Elisha boldly made sure he couldn’t fall back to his comfortable old life. So many times when God calls us, we want to hedge our bets, giving ourselves a way back to what is easy and familiar if what God calls us to do becomes too difficult. When we hang onto the past and what’s safe and predictable, God can’t use us to our fullest capabilities.
Psalm 27:1 ” The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”
The Lord is my enlightenment and deliverance…a citadel of strength that I can run to in times of trouble. When danger comes near, I don’t have to be paralyzed with fear and trembling because He is ever near to me. He sustains me, and becomes my strength when mine fails within me. My hope is in the Lord…in Him I trust.
Joshua 22:5 ” But be careful to keep the commandment and the Law Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to obey His commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.”
Our journeys are different…each path unique and special. But the Lord asks the same of each of us. His commandments are straight forward and simple… they aren’t confusing or open for interpretation. The Lord asks for our everything…our heart, soul, mind, and strength. In exchange…we have Him forever.
Psalm 86:11 ” Teach me Your way O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.”
Guide me in the path of Your faithfulness Lord. Let my heart be so united with Yours that I will not falter to the left or to the right, but will walk fully trusting in You and Your awesomeness. Amen.
Joshua 1:9 ” Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
There are so many times that I think I hear God, but it’s quickly drowned out by doubts and fears that swirl around in my head, and the enemy’s voice whispering in my ear…”You can’t possible think you can do that!” But it’s at that potentially demoralizing time that I take stock in what the Lord has done in and through me in the past. I remember that He has never, ever left me…and never will. Finally, I remember that if I am obedient to Him…I have absolutely no need to fear anyone or anything…ever.
Micah 7:7 ” But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me.”
The two verses prior to this one state that we cannot really rely on others…we cannot even trust family members, for all humans will ultimately let us down and disappoint us. But what Micah is declaring in this verse is that our trust must solely be in the Lord Himself, and not man. Our hope must be totally in God, having confidence that it will never be dashed.
Hebrews 12:10-11 ” Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
When they handed me that little bundle of joy in the hospital, I sure wish they’d given me a operator’s manual too! Suddenly you’re responsible for a tiny human’s moral and spiritual nurturing and training. What a huge task to undertake, but with lots of prayer and Godly wisdom from others you do the very best you can. Discipline is hard on both parties…those receiving, as well as those giving, but in the end if that little one has grown up to be an upright, just, and Godly person, it’s all worth it.
Safetypinlove 