11 posts tagged “faith”
PERFECT PEACE
Read Isaiah 26:1–12
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 NIV
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Throughout history men have searched for peace which always seems to elude them. Isaiah speaks of a future day of peace when Jesus will rule and reign on earth: He says, “Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.” (26:2) We are still waiting for a nation that keeps faith, but we do not have to wait to experience His peace–it is a gift given to us when we trust in the Lord. The confidence that God is our Rock, the ultimate in stability, brings peace to the soul. Isaiah writes, “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.” (26:4) If we are going to accomplish anything of eternal value in our lives, it will be by trusting Him.
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Lord, help us to rest patiently in faith as we wait for Your perfect plan for our lives. You have been faithful to us in the past and like Isaiah we can say, "LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us." (26:12)
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Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
Isaiah 26:8 NIV
Isaiah 26:8 NIV
DOUBT AND WORRY
Read Psalm 86
“Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me… “ Psalm 86:11-13a NIV
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There are many things in life that can cause us to have a divided heart. David was referring to the absolute worship of the Lord as opposed to worthless idols. But in our lives, other things can enter in and become like idols. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…." (Matthew 6:24-25a)
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Lord, I am guilty of worry. Sometimes it is easier to trust for the big things in life than for the little nagging worries that creep in each day. James said that the opposite of faith is worry, for “he who doubts is like a wave of the sea; blown and tossed by the wind… he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:6b, 8) Lord, You are my Provider, my Comforter, and my Almighty God. Increase my faith and give me an undivided heart of trust in Your perfect plan for our lives.
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You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Psalm 86:5
Read Psalm 5
In the morning, O Lord, I will lay my requests before You
and wait in expectation.
Thank You for giving me the freedom to
come into Your house of worship.
Because I am taking refuge in You
I will be glad and sing for joy!
You have blessed me and
surrounded me with Your favor as a shield.
In the morning, O Lord, I will lay my requests before You
and wait in expectation.
Thank You for giving me the freedom to
come into Your house of worship.
Because I am taking refuge in You
I will be glad and sing for joy!
You have blessed me and
surrounded me with Your favor as a shield.
[64]
FRUIT IN SEASON
Read Psalm 1
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly… His delight is in the law of the LORD and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1: 1a, 2-3 NKJV
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God's Word never goes out of vogue for Christians. It is relevant for every stage of life, and is the source of life itself. Believers who ask the Lord for wisdom with their children will find it, for he has promised, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6 NKJV) Then when the children are grown, God's Word says that those parents will still bear fruit in old age and be fresh and flourishing. (Psalm 92:14 NKJV)
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Lord, I want to meditate daily on Your Word so that I can sort out the many voices of advice that the world gives. Only by knowing the truth can I recognize error, and find that narrow way that leads to life. Help me to influence our children so that they too will "delight in the law of the Lord." and avoid the "counsel of the ungodly."
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Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105 NIV
Steps Toward Faith
At middle school or junior high age I read the classic book "What Would Jesus Do?" by Charles Sheldon. That influenced me to think about the standards of Christian living.
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Later, I received more teaching about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives - helping us to live the Christian life. I especially responded to the idea that God had a plan for my life. I wrote a song in high school and sang it at a Youth for Christ ralley. My piano teacher helped me write the music. I was thrilled as I got a standing ovation after singing it. The words tell something of what was on my heart at about age 16.
***
"One day as I was out walking - a thought occurred to me;
Perhaps the Lord up in Heaven is making plans for me.
Maybe he's planning my every step - what I will do and say;
Maybe he's planning some glorious things - if only I follow His way.
Dear Lord, I call - I give You my all;
please mold my life lest I fall.
My vision is clear, and now I can see;
I know that the Lord up in Heaven - is making plans for me."
***
Can you think of anything in your early years that led you step by step toward a closer relationship with the Lord
Consistent Christian life
In my last post I discussed the impact of my parent's decision to be faithful church attenders. I want to build on that in saying that they not only attended church, but they loved the fellowship with other believers. They were not legalistic in their attitude, but they lived consistent Christian lives - driving the speed limit, telling the truth, giving regularly - all practical evidences of their faith. They were the same at home as they were at church - there was no hypocrisy. What other people saw was the real thing.
My father was a quiet person who did not talk about his Christianity very much, but he lived it. My mother was talkative, had a beauty shop in our home, and influenced her customers - who were also her friends - for the Lord. At their 50th wedding anniversary celebration there were many younger people who gave testimony of the influence my parent's life had on them. One woman, a friend of my sister, said that my mother gave her the first birthday party of her life.
***
In what way has the consistency of another believer influenced you?
[54]
THE BRONZE SNAKE
Read Numbers 21:4–9; 2 Kings 18:1–8
They spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!" Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. Numbers 21:5–6 NIV
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During the Exodus from Egypt, God sent a plague of snakes because the people grumbled against God and Moses. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." (21:7-8)
Hundreds of years later, the people of Judah were worshiping the bronze snake, instead of honoring God who had brought them out of Egypt. When Hezekiah became king, He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (2 Kings 18:4) The bronze snake was a gift from God for healing and they focused on the gift instead of the One who gave it–making it into an idol.
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Father, the bronze snake could not heal in itself, but it represented the One who could–Jesus Christ who was lifted up on the cross for our sin. Lord, keep my focus on You, the giver of every good and perfect gift.
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"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." John 3:14-15 NIV
[50]
Read 2 Kings 3:1–4:7
"Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the LORD says: 'You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.' " 2 Kings 3:16-17 NIV
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In these stories, Elisha performs two miracles: One for the armies of Judah and Israel, asking God to deliver them from the Moabites–and the other for a widow and her sons who could not pay her creditors.
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In each case, Elisha asked them to do something that demonstrated their faith: The armies were to dig ditches–in anticipation that God will fill them with water. The widow and her sons were to gather empty jars–believing that God would fill them with oil.
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Both the armies and the widow were faced with a situation they couldn’t handle alone. They had to acknowledge that God was able to meet their needs, by obeying the Word of the Lord spoken through Elisha. The jars were filled with oil and the ditches with water–which miraculously appeared to be blood–causing the Moabites to be defeated.
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We too can be victorious when our hearts are filled with the water of God’s Word and faith in the shed blood of Jesus for our sins. Like the widow’s jars, we will be filled with the oil of God’s Holy Spirit.
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Lord, I bring my empty jar to You. Fill me with a double portion of Your Holy Spirit as I walk out into this day, and may the oil and water continue to flow out to others through me.
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"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." John 7:37b-38 NIV
TEACH THE CHILDREN
Read Deuteronomy 4:1–10
"Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:40 NIV
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Moses anticipated that the children and grandchildren of those who were born in the desert would need to be reminded of what had happened there. He warned, "Be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them… Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (4:9; 6:7b)
God’s laws were not meant to burden His people, but to lead them to prosperity and blessing. The law functioned as a tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
(Galatians 3:24–25 NKJV)
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Dear Father, thank You that the law no longer condemns us, but in fact, brings us to the only One who could satisfy its demands. Remind us to tell our children and grandchildren the stories of how You introduced us to the Savior, so they too, will place their trust in You.
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From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:15–17 NIV
Read Genesis 24
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“… (if) she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too' – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. Genesis 24:14-15 NIV
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Abraham wanted to find just the right wife for his son Isaac – someone from his own people, not from the Canaanites among whom he lived. So he sent his most trusted servant on a journey to his home country. Both Abraham and his chief servant believed that God would lead him to the right young woman. Abraham said, "The LORD, the God of heaven…who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land–He will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there." (Genesis 24:7)
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It is so important to pray for our children’s future spouses. What better time to start than now, while they are young, covering that child and his parents in prayer throughout their lives.
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Lord, help us to teach our children to seek Your wisdom in every small or large decision. You know the future and You have a plan for each one of them. Help them as they step out into life to make choices according to Your perfect will.
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Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying …“As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey”
Gen 24:26-27 NIV
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