Have Faith In God

Mark 11:22 (NLT)

²² Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God.

Having faith in God means to trust in God. God is faithful God is reliable, faithful and unchangeable. God is worthy of trust. So it is not how much faith one has that makes the difference but in whom on places their faith. “Have faith in God”.

 Jesus tells his disciples to have “Faith in God” to teach them that their faith is not the source, but God is the source. What they disciples will be able to do is not based on how much faith they have, but where they place their faith. Faith in God is the power. When the disciples move depending and relying on God they see the power that comes from having faith in God. 

Do not fall short with the excuse of not having enough faith. Have faith in God. God is God Almighty, the Great I Am. Faith in God means that God is doing the action. Have faith that God is able to do what he said he will do. Have faith that God know’s what is best for his people. Have faith that whatever may come to face you in life, God will bring you through. Have faith that what you are going through God is able to use for His good and for His glory and it will make you better, stronger and wiser. 

Following Flawed But Changed

Following Flawed But Changed: Jesus can use you even when you think you are useless. Life is empty and unproductive with out Christ. When you let him in and follow his instructions life becomes more productive than ever before wit

Still Number One

"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything" (Colossians 1:18 NAS95).

What place does Jesus have in your life? If you were to list the people who are first in your life what comes first to mind? Would it be your spouse, children, parents significant other or pet? This question triggers who has priority in your life. 

You may place people or things before Christ but he is still number one. When the proper recognition of Jesus and his person and place in all of the world is placed in ones heart all other things will line up in order. 

For Jesus is the head of the body, his church. He is the beginning and and the ending. The Alpha and the Omega. He is the firstborn form the dead to show all hat he is first in everything. He is eternal. 

Jesus when on this earth showed us how to be last so that he would become first. "So the last will be first, and the first will be last" (Matthew 20:16 NIV). When we put Christ first in our life and ourself last, we will see the beauty and the supremacy of Christ working in our life and others. Christ first in your line of sight will keep your eye on the prize and the higher calling and seeking to live a life worthy and submission to the great, mighty and glorious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer of Reflection:

1. Praise God for his rule and authority over the world and his life.
2. Ask the Lord to reveal where I have not allowed you to be Lord in my life. Repent.
3. Pray for wisdom and knowledge to how to live according to His will and seeing God truly first in life in all areas.

My Heart, My Reflection

"As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man." (Proverbs 27:19 NAS95)

 

            What is in you heart will come out in words and in actions. Jesus uses parables to teach his disciples that he has called in the character that is needed to follow him in Luke 6. 

"For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.

44           "For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.

45           "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. ^[1]

Therefore what is in your heart will be evident in your life. The fruit of your labors and the words of your mouth reflect this. This is why the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 19:4, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer." This is after one has confessed known sins and asks God to seek his heart and to reveal his hidden faults before him. This is needed for as Jeremiah 17:9-10 shows us, "That the heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds."

This leads to ask then what can I do to strengthen my hearts condition? The answer is the obedience to God's word. We need to be doers and not hearers only.  This will lead to seeing the good fruit in ones life and the words reflecting what is in ones heart. This should lead us to liking what we see. God's word will help us to see what we may not like about ourselves and help us to see where we can grow and be better followers of Jesus Christ.

Reflection Questions:

1.     Where is my treasure? What is my treasure?

2.     How do others see me? Do I see myself this way?

3.     What sins and faults to do I need to bring before the Lord to repent?

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^[1] New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 6:43–45. All scripture will be NASB unless noted differently.

Justified

"[B]eing justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" (Rom 3:24 NAS95)

God has made us right not be cause we have earned the right to be right. No. God has justified us by his grace which is a gift. A gift is freely giving and is not earned. God freely gave his only son to die for our sins to redeem us from the penalty of sin which is death.

Being justified is to be made right or to be vindicated of all wrong. The problem is that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). However God has saw fit to place his Son righteousness on us and placed our sin on him. The gift of justification is a gift that is continuously being unfolded in every day walk of faith. This gift delivers peace, joy, love and favor in areas of your life because of Jesus being with you every day of your life. 

Therefore being justified one should now live as on is set free. No longer living in the life of pain, sin and death that one was delivered from. This awesome gift is giving to give you a life that is full of God's great blessings for now and forever more. You did not earn it but it is given. The least one can do is show appreciation by living in obedience to the giver's commands and will. Because the plans for you life is according to his will and will work out in your favor because of his great love for you. Live free and die free because you are justified and now are guilt free because of the Son you have been redeemed. You are free.

More Valuable

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows (Luke 12:7 NAS95).

You are more valuable than many sparrows. The Lord knows when a sparrow falls. He knows when you fall and are in need of trouble. “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1 NAS95). The Lord sees your troubles your issues and your sickness. He wants to help you and deliver you.

You can take comfort in that the Lord sees your needs and is willing to speak to them and bless you. While we were still weak Christ died for our sins (see Rom 5:6). Jesus invites us to know him and to know peace through the father. Jesus knows how special you are and invest his life into your life by giving up his life. Jesus came to serve and provide life and life more abundantly though him.

See your value increase as you invest your time, money and soul in Christ and see how your life will increase. Jesus declares, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NAS95). See your value in Christ and know apart from him you are nothing. Do you not know your value? God has set your value in His only begotten Son’s life to show your life to be eternal life all through Christ Jesus.

Have Mercy

"Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom 7:24 NAS95)

 

The holiness of God longs for his children to be holy. When we call on that great name of Jesus he starts working a good work in us to bring us to glory. This work in us fights the against the flesh. The flesh can not please God.

 

Knowing the flesh is unable to honor God causes the conflict that has saints trying to please God and not giving in to the sinful man. When this becomes so overwhelming when we try to do this on our own, that is when we cry for help. The cry is who will set me free from this body of death?

 

Feeling this desperate need for God's mercy puts you in the place God wants you to be. When you know you need God and God alone then you are open to receive his grace and mercy that saves you from death. Turn your life over to God and see Jesus as the only one who can set you free from the slave of sin and the death it brings.

 

 

By: Samuel Duren