Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
even still, God October 3, 2008
Lord – I want to know what the next steps are. Do I stay where I am at or do I move on to that which I think You are calling me? How do I know that it is You and not me? Will I be able to handle the pressures – the stress? Do you want to use me? God – I don’t question You – I question me. Am I stepping forward in Your desires or my own – or am I doing something worse – not even stepping forward? I want the job I do to glorify You, God, because You deserve it. I want to walk boldly in faith – have God spoken discernment. Lord – would you use the community around me – the people around – Your Living Word – and Your precious Holy Spirit to speak the truth to me – so that I can walk confidently that I am moving in the tide of the ocean that is You? Propel me Lord. Bring me to Action. And in the moment of rest Lord, even still, God – I praise you for keeping me thus far – for the fact that You alone are God – there is none above You – For You are RULER of ALL! Amen
the three in one May 19, 2008
About a month ago I had some questions from readers about evidence for the Trinity in the Bible. In my recent studies in 1st John there is yet more evidence of the Holy three-in-one. I will say yet again that I am not a theologian – just a person who seeks to know God and to be known by God.
1st John 5:6-8 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
As I ask God to reveal what His words mean in this passage I have come to know that the Spirit is the Holy spirit, the Water is the Father God, and the Blood is Jesus Christ. This is the Holy Trinity.
FAITH: the Antidote For Fear May 18, 2008
Victory over the world (and by the world I mean those who do not not know the truth – those who are false prophets and who are at the whim of any spirit and ultimately are separated from God) comes from believing that Jesus has the power to redeem our souls. And when we have faith in this, the testimony of God – His truth and love – will live in us.
By His love there is no fear.
So Faith is the antidote for fear.
1st John 4:1-3 Beloved do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. . .
1st John 4:16-18 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgement; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
1st John 5: 4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The Writing On My Hand March 16, 2008
These are the promises, assurances, and commands that are spoken by God through the prophet Isaiah for me to write upon my hand – today. For God’s Word transcends all time and space and speaks directly into my heart and compels me to say that I am chosen by Him. Knowing that I have been chosen by God, I can walk confidently knowing that He will be with me always. I have nothing to fear. My sins are no more. He will use me to declare that He is who He says He is – the Savior.
from God’s Word deemed Isaiah 43 & 44
this is what the LORD says . . . “fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. . .
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you . . .
because I love you . . .
Do not be afraid, for I am with you . . .
“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. . . You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” . . .
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. . .
“I, even I , am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence. Your first father sinned; your spokesman rebelled against me. . . ”
“But listen, O Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. . .
Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessings on your descendants.
They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.
One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand “The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel.
A Certain Servant March 9, 2008
2 Corinthians 3: 1-6
Are we starting to brag about ourselves again? Do we need letters of introduction to you or from you, like some other people? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ sent through us. This letter is not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. It is not written on stone tablets but on human hearts. We can say this, because through Christ we feel certain before God. We are not saying that we can do this work ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do. He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. This new agreement is not written law, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Where do we get our worth from?
Do we rest in the certainty that comes from God alone?
Do we recognize and embrace that God makes us able to serve?
Are we yielding to His Spirit?
And the Winds Blew March 4, 2008
Have you ever felt like the winds were blowing? I do all the time. Sometimes it feels like typhoon sized winds are knocking upon my heart, my soul, and my mind. I begin to worry. Sometimes even the small winds seem like too much for my delicate spirit and I begin to be afraid. God’s Word tells us to come into His shelter. Only He can recognize, rectify, and calm the winds of life. I am slowly learning to come to Him always – under all circumstances.
Matthew 8:26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Luke 12:26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Bad Gas February 18, 2008
God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on.
CS Lewis
from Mere Christianity
excerpt taken from A Year with C.S. Lewis
from fear to FAITH 