FAITH

First please read Hebrews 11 and consider what you have read.
FAITH connects us to God. FAITH brings certainty rather than vague hope. FAITH holds onto that certainty even when we have not yet seen the fulfilment of God’s word. Faith makes it possible to please God. FAITH confirms to our spirit that God exists. FAITH confirms to us God’s gift of eternal life. FAITH enables us to fix our eyes on God and assures us that He bestows blessings on those who earnestly seek Him. FAITH is belief in action..We immediately begin to His word(s) into action, or we get on with life and wait patiently and expectantly for the time of fulfilment of a specific promise. FAITH is prepared to surrender material things, worldly status, even life itself to attain to Christ- likeness through trusting obedience and humility. FAITH is absolute trust in the grace, mercy and sovereignty of creator God. FAITH in action is true worship. We need that GRACE and MERCY for surely we all are aware of the battle that seeks to destroy the stronghold of faith, our Doubt, anxiety, anger, jealousy etc. Mercifully we have a Saviour who is aware of our human weaknesses and he will not quench even a smouldering ember but will always aid us in fanning that ember into a flame of faithful living. We have a God who is always faithful. Even when we experience the outward ageing of our bodies, inwardly we can be constantly renewed. Remember the WWJD bracelets? Why not change the original slogan to Walk With Jesus Diligently or Walk With Jesus Daily. May the blessing and peace and encouragement of God our father be with and remain with you always.

The TONGUE (a reminder)

I often state that we must be prepared to face the consequences of every decision we make. We also need to remind ourselves that the words we speak also evoke consequences. In Matthew 15 Jesus reminded us that it is what comes out from our mouth that has the power to make us unclean. I have to constantly remind myself that my tongue has the power of life and death(PROV 18 v 21), the power to curse or bless, to encourage or dishearten.
JAMES 1 v 26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. (oops!)
JAMES 3 v 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. (oops ! again)
PS 39 v 1 says "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth “
However, But we must remember that what we speak is the harvest of what we have been thinking
This is why we need not simply to put a guard over our mouth but be vigilant in bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. ( 2 Cor 10 v 5)
Once words are spoken they cannot be taken back. It is so easy to speak judgment and criticism and negativity. It is all too easy to put people down and to discourage them. I believe that unkind, unhelpful words seriously affects our personal joy, peace and relationship with God. (and that includes private conversations, you may fool yourselves into thinking your comments are private, but GOD hears. Remember James 1?)
May the Lord bless us and keep us, may the Lord God shine upon us and be gracious to us and give us peace; and may we do likewise to all we meet(Num 6v24). Let us build each other up in our most Holy faith and throw personal pride and ego out of the window. Every time we catch ourselves being judgmental or unkindly critical, pronounce a blessing, thus putting Gods name upon that person or situation as God commanded Moses.
So, may the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to the Lord our God. (Ps 19 v 14.

HUMILITY

England and many other so-called Christian counties are facing moral and ethical decline and so 2 Chron 7, “ If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land and be attentive to the prayers offered”;is very relevant. I believe that Humility is a quality that is on the decline everywhere. Pride, arrogance, greed, self-centeredness etc are the defaults of our fallen nature. 1 Peter 5 tells us "God opposes pride but gives grace to the humble". (read also Mat23 v 12 and Lk14 v 11 and Lk 18 v 14)
Philip 2 v 6 reminds us that Jesus, made in human likeness humbled himself and was obedient to God even to the point of death. Romans 5 says it was the humble obedience of Christ that brought salvation to many.
Read John 13 of when Jesus humbled himself and knelt and washed his disciples’feet and told them that he was setting an example for them to follow. (ie serving others)
Read also Luke 22; don’t try for superiority, and Mat 18 v 4; "whoever humbles himself, who puts personal pride to one side, and is obedient even like a child is considered great in the kingdom of heaven".
Christ-like graciousness may seem hard to attain to but it is a very worthy goal. Seek first the kingdom of God, and His likeness, and everything else will fall into place according to Gods will and purpose for you

Food for thought

When Jesus was LED into the wilderness to be tested he was FULL of the Holy Spirit. When he came out he came out in the POWER of the holy spirit ( Luk 4 ). I believe the difference was that he came through the testing period as a conqueror and now knew that he could rule and reign in his own heart. No man when tested should say he is being tempted of God (Jam 1) for man is only tempted by the lusts that rise up from within. The scripture tells us that Jesus was like us in every respect, yet without sin ( Heb 4 v 15). That leads me to conclude that Jesus had to face the human lusts for recognition and power and acclaim and this he did whilst enduring physical torment and remaining obedient to Gods holy word. If we want to move in the power of the holy spirit we must remain obedient to the word and leading of God, and be over-comers of our own sinful desires. Power and authority is not going to be invested in someone who is weak and easily persuaded. Don’t blame satan for the trials and troubles you go though that are caused by your own lusts, desires and disobedience. It won’t wash with God.
Pass your test or trial by enduring, persevering and remaining obedient to Gods word. Proove yourself worthy of the responsibility of power.

The journey

I recently posted the thought that without the journey there is no destination. I was considering the "walking on water" stories Mat 14, Mark 6 and Jn 6 (45) Jesus MADE the disciples get into the boat and he gave them their destination. In spite of just experiencing the feeding of the 5000 Jesus knew that they still did not understand who he was and what he was to achieve. They probably thought they did but they were seeing and rationalising things through their human senses as we often do. Jesus used the journey to uncover their fears and doubts and to underline his divine nature. They needed to see him walking on the water they needed to see him still the storm they needed to declare "truly you are the Son of God". So do we. When our faith is tried/prooved we often need to see Jesus doing the impossible, to still the storms of doubt and emotion that rage within us. It is our journey that is the testing ground. It is the events of the journey that reveal the weaknesses and faults in our faith. (1Pe 1v7)
Why, because it is His will that we should be conformed to the likness of the Messiah. (Ro 8). Between a promise and it's fulfillment will be times when our faith is tested ( Jn 16 v 33). God will reveal the true nature of our attitudes and act accordingly, not to punish us but to conform us to Christlikeness.
Have a wonderful journey. ( Ro 12 v 2 )

Are you known?

I was recently challenged by Acts 19. The sons of Sceva were using the name of Jesus and of Paul in a futile attempt to overcome evil. The demons said " Jesus we know and Paul we know, but who are you?" I asked myself "do the forces of evil know who I am?" If they do not know me it is because I am of no significance to them, I present no challenge to their evil works.
I am determined, with Gods mighty help, to stand firm and declare the salvation of God through Jesus Christ. I will not rant and rave at satan but seek to stand and keep standing protected by God's spiritual armour. Thinking and speaking out the word of God and humbly obeying and submitting to His will for my life.
By Gods grace I will not give satan a foot hold for that is the first step to him establishing a stronghold. By God's Holy Spirit I will be such an obstacle to satan that every demon in hell will know my name and quake, not because of me but because of Jesus Christ who lives in and through me.

Unconditional love

We readily accept that Gods love towards us is unconditional, but what of our love and faithfulmess towards God? Is it "I will love and trust you as long as everything goes well with me?" Or,"If you answer my prayer requests I will continue to love and believe in you?"
I have to ask myself is my Love towards my creator and saviour and king conditional?. If so, then I have knocked the king of creation off the throne of my heart.
He is the Lord,; He is the one who raises or crushes nations. He is the one who works events out according to his purposes. He is the potter I am the clay. He is the master I am the servant.( Ro9v20/21; Is46v9; Ps119v3: Dan4v35)
Father, because of Jesus forgive my arrogance and by the power of your Holy Spirit enable me to rest and rejoice in your salvation whatever circumstances and trials you allow to come my way. May I stand firm and having done all to stand firm in the assurance of your infinite love, making my requests known to you and seeking to walk in the authority and leading of your spirit but without anxiety or resentful thoughts if my requests seemingly go unanswered. May we trust in the Lord at all times and let His praise continually be in our mouths